The mission of the ACLS (American Council of Learned Societies) is to promote inclusion, equity, and diversity in the scholarly enterprise. They aim to enhance the scholarly enterprise by being broadly inclusive and welcoming of different backgrounds, cultures, and identities. This reflects in their fellowship programs which encourage applications from diverse backgrounds, recognizing the value that such diversity brings to scholarship.
The ACLS HBCU Faculty Fellowships aim to support faculty at Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) in advancing their research projects through substantial grants ranging from $30,000 to $50,000. These grants are intended to provide more sustained time for research by covering semester/year leaves or a series of course releases, along with any other budgeted project costs. Fellowship awardees also gain access to networking and mentorship opportunities. The overarching goal is to facilitate significant progress on research-grounded projects in the humanities or social sciences, with potential outcomes including scholarly publications, pedagogical innovations, or community-engaged projects. The use of fellowship funds is flexible, encouraging applicants to address their unique project needs and potential institutional barriers. This includes, but is not limited to, support for research leaves, research assistance, travel for research or conferences, and engagement in civic or social justice work with surrounding communities. Each fellowship also includes a grant to the awardee's home institution to support humanities programming or infrastructure, emphasizing the commitment to enriching the academic environment and scholarly community at HBCUs.